US20090094335A1 - Eliminating Redundancy of Attachments in Email Responses - Google Patents

Abstract

A method, system and computer-usable medium for managing electronic mail (email) attachments. An email message comprising a first recipient list and a first file attachment is received from a sender. A response email is generated, comprising a second recipient list. The first recipient list and the second recipient list are compared and a third recipient list is generated comprising recipients that are listed on the second recipient list, but not on the first. The email response is then transmitted to all recipients that are on the second recipient list but not on the third list, and the email response and the first file attachment is sent to the recipients on the third recipient list.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• Embodiments of the disclosure relate in general to the field of computers and similar technologies, and in particular to software utilized in this field. Still more particularly, it relates to selectively sending electronic mail (email) attachments to email message recipients.
• 2. Description of the Related Art
• For many users, email overload is common and is often exacerbated by the receipt of duplicate or unneeded email attachments. In some cases, the recipient may have already received the attachment. In others, the recipient may have been the creator and original sender of the attachment, only to receive it as a result of a reply to an email or the forwarding of an email thread. Sometimes, the recipient does not need the attachment itself, only the knowledge of who has received the attachment and who has not. Receiving unnecessary email attachments consumes time, bandwidth and storage, which may be limited. In contrast, by not sending unnecessary attachments, storage space is conserved in email systems, their speed is increased by reducing bandwidth requirements, recipient's email message download times are shorter, and the amount of clutter in their mail clients are reduced.
• With existing email systems, sending an email with an attachment to a group of recipients results in all recipients listed in the TO:, CC:, and BCC: fields of the message header receiving the attachment. Current approaches to this issue are limited and include sending two copies of the email. One copy of the email with the attachment is sent to a subset of the recipient list, and another copy without the attachment is sent to the remainder of the recipients.
• However, recipients responding to an email thread including one or more attachments may intentionally or unintentionally include the original attachments in their response. For example, the recipient may intentionally include the attachments if they want newly-added recipients to the email thread to receive the attachments. It is also possible for a recipient unintentionally add the attachments to their response to an email. As a result, all recipients of the response receive the attachment. Similarly, if the responder receives new attachments and adds new recipients to the email thread, then everyone copied on the thread receives the attachments, new and old. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to selectively send attachments to recipients that have not previously received them, and not send the attachments to recipients that have.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention includes a method, system and computer-usable medium for managing electronic mail (email) attachments. In various embodiments, an email message comprising a first recipient list and a first file attachment is received from a sender. An email response to the received email is generated, comprising a second recipient list. Comparison operations are performed between the first recipient list and the second recipient list to generate a third recipient list comprising recipients that are listed on the second recipient list, but not on the first. The email response without the first file attachment is then transmitted to all recipients that are listed on the second recipient list but not on the third recipient list, and the email response is transmitted with the first file attachment sent to the recipients on the third recipient list.
• In one embodiment, the email response comprises a second file attachment transmitted to the second recipient list. In another embodiment, the received email file comprises an email thread further comprising a plurality of first recipient lists. In this embodiment, the plurality of first recipient lists are processed to generate a fourth recipient list comprising recipients that that are listed on the second recipient list and were not previously sent a first file attachment. The plurality of first recipient lists are similarly processed to generate a fifth recipient list comprising recipients that are listed on the second recipient list and were not previously sent a second file attachment.
• The email response is then transmitted to all recipients on the second recipient list, with the first file attachment also being sent to the recipients on the fourth recipient list and the second file attachment likewise being sent to the recipients on the fifth recipient list. Recipients on the second recipient list are then notified of which recipients were sent which file attachment. The above, as well as additional purposes, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Selected embodiments of the present invention may be understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages obtained, when the following detailed description is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:
• FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary client computer in which the present invention may be implemented;
• FIG. 2 shows email attachment manager information as implemented in the header of email file;
• FIG. 3 shows an electronic mail (email) client as implemented in one embodiment of an email attachment manager;
• FIGS. 4a-bshow a flowchart of an email attachment manager as implemented to process a received email message attachment; and
• FIGS. 5a-bshow a flowchart of an email attachment manager as implemented to process headers in a received email message thread.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• The present invention includes a method, system and computer-usable medium for managing electronic mail (email) attachments. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the present invention may be embodied as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention may be implemented entirely in hardware, entirely in software (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or in an embodiment combining software and hardware. These various embodiments may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit”, “module”, or “system”. Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable storage medium having computer-usable program code embodied in the medium.
• Any suitable computer usable or computer readable medium may be utilized. The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a transmission media such as those supporting the Internet or an intranet, or a magnetic storage device. Note that the computer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The computer-usable medium may include a propagated data signal with the computer-usable program code embodied therein, either in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. The computer usable program code may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to the Internet, wireline, optical fiber cable, radio frequency (RF), etc.
• Computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may be written in an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like. However, the computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).
• Embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
• These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
• The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of anexemplary client computer102 in which the present invention may be utilized.Client computer102 includes aprocessor unit104 that is coupled to a system bus106. Avideo adapter108, which controls adisplay110, is also coupled to system bus106. System bus106 is coupled via abus bridge112 to an Input/Output (I/O) bus114. An I/O interface116 is coupled to I/O bus114. The I/O interface116 affords communication with various I/O devices, including akeyboard118, a mouse120, a Compact Disk-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM)drive122, afloppy disk drive124, and aflash drive memory126. The format of the ports connected to I/O interface116 may be any known to those skilled in the art of computer architecture, including but not limited to Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports.
• Client computer102 is able to communicate with aservice provider server152 via anetwork128 using anetwork interface130, which is coupled to system bus106.Network128 may be an external network such as the Internet, or an internal network such as an Ethernet Network or a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Usingnetwork128,client computer102 is able to use the present invention to accessservice provider server152.
• Ahard drive interface132 is also coupled to system bus106.Hard drive interface132 interfaces with ahard drive134. In a preferred embodiment,hard drive134 populates asystem memory136, which is also coupled to system bus106. Data that populatessystem memory136 includes the client computer's102 operating system (OS)138 and software programs144.
• OS138 includes ashell140 for providing transparent user access to resources such as software programs144. Generally,shell140 is a program that provides an interpreter and an interface between the user and the operating system. More specifically,shell140 executes commands that are entered into a command line user interface or from a file. Thus, shell140 (as it is called in UNIX®, also called a command processor in Windows®, is generally the highest level of the operating system software hierarchy and serves as a command interpreter. The shell provides a system prompt, interprets commands entered by keyboard, mouse, or other user input media, and sends the interpreted command(s) to the appropriate lower levels of the operating system (e.g., a kernel142) for processing. Whileshell140 generally is a text-based, line-oriented user interface, the present invention can also support other user interface modes, such as graphical, voice, gestural, etc.
• As depicted,OS138 also includeskernel142, which includes lower levels of functionality forOS138, including essential services required by other parts ofOS138 and software programs144, including memory management, process and task management, disk management, and mouse and keyboard management.
• Software programs144 may include abrowser146 andemail client148.Browser146 includes program modules and instructions enabling a World Wide Web (WWW) client (i.e., client computer102) to send and receive network messages to the Internet using HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) messaging, thus enabling communication withservice provider server152. In one embodiment, theemail client148 comprises an electronic mail (email)attachment manager150. Theemail attachment manager150 includes code for implementing the processes described inFIGS. 2 through 5 described hereinbelow. In one embodiment,client computer102 is able to download theemail attachment manager150 from aservice provider server152.
• The hardware elements depicted inclient computer102 are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are representative to highlight components used by the present invention. For instance,client computer102 may include alternate memory storage devices such as magnetic cassettes, Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs), Bernoulli cartridges, and the like. These and other variations are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 shows email attachment manager information as implemented in the header ofemail message file200. In selected embodiments of the invention, email message file200 comprisesemail header202, email attachment manager table204,email body206, formattinginstructions208, sender'sorigination information210, email attachments212, andemail footer214. Theemail header202 typically comprises the email addresses of the email recipients, the sender's originating mail server, file descriptors, and other related information required to deliver and process the email for use by the recipient. Theemail body206 typically comprises text, with embedded binary files such as pictures and charts attached as binary file attachments212. The formattinginstructions208 typically comprise instructions processed by an email client for the presentation of message content comprisingemail body206 and binary file attachments212. Sender'sorigination information210 generally comprises metainformation such as the sender's physical address, a landline phone number, the address of their originating email server, their position in an organization hierarchy, or a pointer to one or more email directories or other databases containing this information.
• Email attachment manager table204 comprises information used by an originating mail server to determine which email recipient receives which attachment. In one embodiment, an originating mail server processes themessage header202 of email message file200 to generate a list of recipients that will receiveemail body206. The email attachment manager table204 is then processed to generate lists of recipients that will also receive predetermined attachments. For example, as illustrated inFIG. 2, recipient ‘1’ will only receiveattachments2 and3, recipient ‘2’ will only receiveattachments1 and2, and recipient ‘3’ will only receiveattachments1 and3.
• FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of an email attachment manager as implemented in an electronic mail (email) client. In this embodiment, anemail message response300 to receivedemail message316 is displayed withinemail client148.Email message response300 comprisesemail response header302,email response content314 and receivedemail message316.Email response header302 further comprises a Fromfield304, a To field306, a Carbon Copy (CC) field308, a Subject field310, and anAttachments field312. Receivedemail message316 further comprises a From field318, a To field320, a Subject field322, an Attachments field324, andemail message content326.
• In one embodiment, an email attachment manager is implemented to process receivedemail message316 to determine the sender contained in the From field318, the recipient contained in the To field320, and the file attachment name in Attachments field324. This information is then compared to the sender contained in the Fromfield304, the recipients contained in the To field306 and Carbon Copy (CC) field308, and the attachment contained in theAttachments field312 ofemail response header302. As a result, the electronic attachment manager modifiesemail response header302 such that the originating mail server does not send the attachment contained in theAttachments field312 to the sender contained in Fromfield304 or the recipient contained in the To field306. However, the recipient contained in the Carbon Copy (CC) field308 does receive the attachment contained in theAttachments field312 as they were not listed as a sender318 or a recipient320 in receivedemail message316.
• FIGS. 4a-bshow a flowchart of an email attachment manager as implemented to process a received email message attachment. In this embodiment, electronic mail (email) attachment management operations are begun instep402 with the receipt of an email message with a first email attachment instep404. The header of the received email message is processed by the email attachment manager instep406 to determine the sender of the email message and its individual recipients. An email response to the received email message is generated instep412 and compilation of a draft recipient list for the email response is begun instep414.
• If it is determined instep416 that the email message response will be a reply response, then the sender and the individual recipients contained in the header of the received email message are retrieved instep418. A determination is then made instep422 whether to add or delete recipients from the draft response recipient list. If it is determined instep422 that recipients are to be added, then they are added to the draft response recipient list instep420 and the process continues, beginning withstep422. If it is determined instep422 that recipients are to be deleted, then they are deleted from the draft response recipient list instep424. A determination is then made instep426 whether the draft response recipient list is complete. If it is not, then the process continues, beginning withstep422. Otherwise, a recipient list for the email response is generated instep428.
• However, if it is determined instep416 that the email message response will be a forwarded response, then predetermined recipients are added to the draft response recipient list instep420. A determination is then made instep422 whether to add or delete recipients from the draft response recipient list. If it is determined that recipients are to be added, then they are added to the draft response recipient list instep420 and the process continues, beginning withstep422. If it is determined that recipients are to be deleted, then they are deleted from the draft response recipient list instep424. A determination is then made instep426 whether the draft response recipient list is complete. If it is not, then the process continues, beginning withstep422. Otherwise, a recipient list for the email response is generated instep428.
• Comparison operations are performed instep432 between the email response recipient list generated instep428 and the sender and individual recipients listed in the header of the received email message. Those email response recipients that are determined instep434 to not be listed in the header of the received email message are then used in step436 to generate a first attachment recipient list. A determination is then made instep438 whether to add additional attachments to the email response. If it is determined that no additional attachment is to be added, then the email response header is modified in step440 such that the originating mail server will transmit the email response to the email response recipient list, and will also transmit the first attachment with the email response to recipients listed on the first attachment recipient list. The email response is then transmitted by the originating mail server to the email response recipient list and the first attachment file is likewise transmitted with the email response to the recipients listed on the first attachment recipient list instep442. Email response recipients are then notified of which recipients were sent which file attachments instep450 and email attachment management operations are ended instep452.
• However, if it is determined that additional attachments are to be added to the email response then the attachments are added instep444. The email response header is then modified instep446 such that the originating mail server will transmit the email response and the second attachment to the email response recipient list and will also transmit the first attachment with the email response to recipients listed on the first attachment recipient list. The email response and the second file attachments are transmitted by the originating server to the email response recipient list and the first attachment file is likewise transmitted with the email response to the recipients listed on the first attachment recipient list instep448. Email response recipients are then notified of which recipients were sent which file attachments instep450 and email attachment management operations are ended instep452.
• FIGS. 5a-bshow a flowchart of an email attachment manager as implemented to process headers in a received email message thread. In this embodiment, electronic mail (email) attachment management operations are begun instep502 with the receipt of an email message thread with a first email attachment instep504. The header of the received email message thread is processed by the email attachment manager instep506 to determine the sender of the email message and its individual recipients. The email attachment manager then processes the remainder of the received email message instep508 to determine senders and recipients of attachments in prior email messages. Sender, recipient and attachment information is extracted from the headers and are then used by the email attachment manager to generate a prior attachment recipient list instep510. An email response to the received email message is generated instep512 and compilation of a draft recipient list for the email response is begun instep514.
• If it is determined instep516 that the email message response will be a reply response, then the sender and the individual recipients contained in the header of the received email message are retrieved instep518. A determination is then made instep522 whether to add or delete recipients from the draft response recipient list. If it is determined instep522 that recipients are to be added, then they are added to the draft response recipient list instep520 and the process continues, beginning withstep522. If it is determined instep522 that recipients are to be deleted, then they are deleted from the draft response recipient list instep524. A determination is then made instep526 whether the draft response recipient list is complete. If it is not, then the process continues, beginning withstep522. Otherwise, a recipient list for the email response is generated instep528.
• However, if it is determined instep516 that the email message response will be a forwarded response, then predetermined recipients are added to the draft response recipient list instep520. A determination is then made instep522 whether to add or delete recipients from the draft response recipient list. If it is determined that recipients are to be added, then they are added to the draft response recipient list instep520 and the process continues, beginning withstep522. If it is determined that recipients are to be deleted, then they are deleted from the draft response recipient list instep524. A determination is then made instep526 whether the draft response recipient list is complete. If it is not, then the process continues, beginning withstep522. Otherwise, a recipient list for the email response is generated instep528.
• Comparison operations are performed instep532 between the email response recipient list generated instep528 and the prior attachment recipient list generated instep510. Those email response recipients that are determined in step534 to not be listed in the prior attachment recipient list and having not previously received the file attachment are then used instep536 to generate an associated attachment recipient list. A determination is then made instep538 whether to add additional attachments to the email response. If so, then the process is repeated, beginning withstep532. Otherwise, the email response header is modified instep540 such that the originating mail server will transmit the email response to the email response recipient list and also transmit each attachment with the email response to its associated recipient listed on the associated attachment recipient list. The email response is then transmitted by the originating mail server to the email response recipient list and each attachment file is also transmitted with the email response to its associated recipient listed on the associated attachment recipient list instep542. Email response recipients are then notified of which recipients were sent which file attachments instep550 and email attachment management operations are ended instep552.
• The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
• The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
• The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
• Having thus described the invention of the present application in detail and by reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

Claims (20)

1. A computer-implementable method for managing electronic mail (email) attachments, comprising:

receiving an email file from a sender, the email file comprising:

a first recipient list; and

a first file attachment;

generating an email response file comprising a second recipient list;

comparing the first recipient list and the second recipient list to generate a third recipient list comprising recipients that are listed on the second recipient list, but are not listed on the first recipient list;

transmitting the email response file to all recipients on the second recipient list, but not on the third list; and

transmitting the email response file and the first file attachment to recipients on the third recipient list.

2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the email response file comprises a second file attachment transmitted to the second recipient list.

3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the received email file comprises an email thread further comprising a plurality of first recipient lists.

4. The method ofclaim 3, wherein the plurality of first recipient lists are processed to generate:

a fourth recipient list comprising recipients that are listed on the second recipient list and were not previously sent the first file attachment; and

a fifth recipient list comprising recipients that are listed on the second recipient list and were not previously sent the second file attachment.

5. The method ofclaim 4, wherein:

the email response and the first file attachment is transmitted to recipients on the fourth recipient list; and

the email response and the second file attachment is transmitted to recipients on the fifth recipient list.

6. The method ofclaim 5, wherein all recipients on the second recipient list are notified of which recipients were sent the first file attachment and which recipients were sent the second file attachment.

7. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer-usable medium being coupled to the data bus, the computer program code managing electronic mail (email) attachments and comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for:

receiving an email file from a sender, the email file comprising:

a first recipient list; and

a first file attachment;

generating an email response file comprising a second recipient list;

comparing the first recipient list and the second recipient list to generate a third recipient list comprising recipients that are listed on the second recipient list, but are not listed on the first recipient list;

transmitting only the email response file to all recipients on the second recipient list, but not on the third list; and

transmitting the email response file and the first file attachment to recipients on the third recipient list

8. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the email response file comprises a second file attachment transmitted to the second recipient list.

9. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the received email file comprises an email thread further comprising a plurality of first recipient lists.

10. The system ofclaim 9, wherein the plurality of first recipient lists are processed to generate:

a fourth recipient list comprising recipients that are listed on the second recipient list and were not previously sent the first file attachment; and

a fifth recipient list comprising recipients that are listed on the second recipient list and were not previously sent the second file attachment.

11. The system ofclaim 10, wherein:

the email response and the first file attachment is transmitted to recipients on the fourth recipient list; and

the email response and the second file attachment is transmitted to recipients on the fifth recipient list.

12. The system ofclaim 11, wherein the all recipients on the second recipient list are notified of which recipients were sent the first file attachment and which recipients were sent the second file attachment.

13. A computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

receiving an email file from a sender, the email file comprising:

a first recipient list; and

a first file attachment;

generating an email response file comprising a second recipient list;

comparing the first recipient list and the second recipient list to generate a third recipient list comprising recipients that are listed on the second recipient list, but are not listed on the first recipient list;

transmitting only the email response file to all recipients on the second recipient list, but not on the third list; and

transmitting the email response file and the first file attachment to recipients on the third recipient list

14. The computer usable medium ofclaim 13, wherein the email response file comprises a second file attachment transmitted to the second recipient list.

15. The computer usable medium ofclaim 13, wherein the received email file comprises an email thread further comprising a plurality of first recipient lists.

16. The computer usable medium ofclaim 15, wherein the plurality of first recipient lists are processed to generate:

a fourth recipient list comprising recipients that are listed on the second recipient list and were not previously sent the first file attachment; and

a fifth recipient list comprising recipients that are listed on the second recipient list and were not previously sent the second file attachment.

17. The computer usable medium ofclaim 16, wherein:

the email response and the first file attachment is transmitted to recipients on the fourth recipient list; and

the email response and the second file attachment is transmitted to recipients on the fifth recipient list.

18. The computer usable medium ofclaim 17, wherein the all recipients on the second recipient list are notified of which recipients were sent the first file attachment and which recipients were sent the second file attachment.

19. The computer usable medium ofclaim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are deployable to a client computer from a server at a remote location.

20. The computer usable medium ofclaim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.

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